Adoption Information

We appreciate your interest in adopting from MAGRR! Follow the buttons at the end of each page to review our adoption information and complete the application.

Adoption Territory

Our service territory includes the six New England States (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut), along with New York and New Jersey within the New York City Metro area. Our Mid-South territory includes West Tennessee, most of Arkansas — including Little Rock and the surrounding area — and North Mississippi — including the Jackson area. If you are interested in adopting a Golden Retriever and are out of our service territory, we recommend visiting GRCA-NRC to find a rescue near you.

Waiting Period

Each adoption is different, causing the process to range from several months to less than a week. We understand how anxious our applicants are to adopt, and we make every effort to keep our process as smooth and efficient as possible. At the same time, however, we believe that little is to be gained by cutting corners and rushing through the matching and adoption process. Adopting a dog is a major lifetime commitment and should be undertaken carefully and thoughtfully. If you feel that you must have a dog immediately, adopting from MAGRR may not be the best option for you to pursue.

On average, the time frame from filling out an application to being approved by MAGRR is four to six weeks depending on the availability of volunteers and number of applications. Once approved, you can expect to be matched with a dog in about two to four months depending on availability. Again, this can vary significantly due to an assortment of factors, including the following:

Home visit scheduling – Our volunteers work hard to be flexible, but often work schedules on both ends require visits to be held on weekends or evenings

Applicant readiness – Some of our applicants are not quite ready (emotionally or logistically) to bring a new dog home but want to be on our approved list for when the time is right. Others are just waiting for us to say the word, and they will be at our doorstep in a heartbeat!

Age, gender and personality preferences – If you restrict yourself to waiting for the dog that meets your ideal specifications, you will most likely need to be patient. Realistically, the “ideal” dogs do not come along all that frequently in rescue. Reducing your waiting period can be achieved if you are more willing to consider a male or female; an age range that may be a little older or younger than you originally had planned, or even a dog with some special TLC needs.

Adoption Fees

Veterinary costs have steadily risen over the last several years, partially a result of the more intricate medical needs of the dogs MAGRR is seeing enter its program. From specialty surgeries to heartworm treatment, the average cost to treat a dog has increased significantly in recent times. Private donations fund the majority of our rescue operation; however, adoption fees offset the tremendous cost of treating the Goldens in our care. Considerable research has revealed that our fees are comparable to those of other Golden Retriever and all-breed rescues. The fee schedule is as follows:

Mid-South

Single Adoption

$475

Bonded Pair

$850

Seniors (8+) and Special Needs

$300

New England (includes transportation-related fees)

Single Adoption

$665

Bonded Pair

$1,115

Senior (8+) and Special Needs

$465

Puppies up to 4 months*

$925

*Includes a $250 fee which is refunded upon proof of altering

Typical Expenses+ for Each Golden Retriever

+Costs are based on the average price of each item from six metro Memphis veterinary clinics

Examination by a veterinarian

$46.85

Vaccinations and Rabies

$85.00

Wellness Blood Profile

$106.17

Bordetella

$15.59

Spay

$249.18

Neuter

$217.74

Heartworm treatment

$819.17

Single dose of heartworm preventative

$21.30

Microchip

$49.50

We spend an average of $1,021.22 on each dog. Goldens in MAGRR’s program often require special procedures at additional cost to repair orthopedic damage, remove tumors or perform dental- and eye-related surgeries, among other treatments. MAGRR bears the financial responsibility for these operations, including hospital care, testing and medication.